CIVIC society organisation, the Economic Justice for Women Project (EJWP), has petitioned Parliament over the privatisation of water in the country's local authorities and is lobbying for a bill that regulates its access.
The Ministry of Local Government is working with the Harare City Council and Helcraw to install pre-paid meters in the capital, with the system also being rolled out to other local authorities.
The move has been slammed by residents' organisations, which say this is tantamount to the takeover of the city council's mandate by private entities.
EJWP programs lead, Tanyaradzwa Jura, said the move disenfranchises women as it contravenes Section 77 of the Constitution.
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"This decision risks undermining constitutional rights and increasing social inequalities, particularly gender inequality, whilst compromising public health. The privatisation of water aligns with neo-liberal policy frameworks that emphasise profit at the expense of equity and accountability.
"The government is trusting market forces over human rights and it is likely a reflection of government's challenge to protect its people and defend equal access to a basic public good. This directly contravenes Section 77 of Zimbabwe's Constitution, which guarantees every citizen the right to safe, clean, and potable water," said Jura.
As of last month, the government indicated that 15,000 households had been fitted with smart meters as part of the pilot project.
Harare City Council has been struggling to provide water, with some areas receiving it only two days a week.
EJWP is lobbying Parliament to stop the privatisation of water and introduce a Water Justice Bill which they say will ensure equal access to communities.
"Today, EJWP and representatives of its members are submitting a petition to parliament and a policy brief to respective critical stakeholders in this regard demanding that:
"Parliament halts water privatisation and passes a Water Justice Bill to enshrine public ownership.
"Government invests in public and community-managed water systems instead of outsourcing to profit-driven private companies.
"A gendered human rights impact assessment is conducted before any water sector reforms are rolled out.
"Communities, especially women and marginalised groups, are meaningfully consulted and included in water governance," said Jura.
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